Monday, March 29, 2010

2010 will see the return of two power pop acts who have been sorely missed on the recording scene. Hoodoo Gurus have already released Purity Of Essence in their native Australia, and it’s due to drop Stateside some time in April. The Bangles are still working on their yet-to-be-titled next release, but hopefully, it will be out this year. These two acts used to tour together back in the 1980s, and it would be great to see them reunite on the road if their schedules allow.

The Bangles have been known to appear as back-up singers on the occasional Hoodoo Gurus song. The 1987 single “Good Times,” released in advance of the Hoodoo Gurus’ Blow Your Cool album, has Susanna Hoffs, Debbi Peterson, Vicki Peterson, and Michael Steele beautifully harmonizing with lead vocalist Dave Faulkner. It’s a catchy mid-tempo tune that should give hope to broken hearted people all over the world. The arrangement feels like a 1960s chart-topper, although lead guitarist Brad Shepherd cuts loose with some modern-edged playing during an instrumental passage.

“You told me goodbye and I believed you,” Faulkner notes at the beginning of “Good Times.” But he goes on to describe a happy reconciliation, and suggests both parties always knew they had too much of a good thing to abandon it permanently. “What felt good before, today we’ll treasure so much more.” Like “Love Is For Lovers” by The dBs, “Good Times” is a joyous celebration of finding true love.

While “Good Times” is a fun collaboration between the Hoodoo Gurus and The Bangles, the B-Side, “Heart Of Darkness” sounds like The Smithereens have been summoned to help out. Pat DiNizio and the boys aren’t really on this record, but the crunching bass and guitar arrangement calls to mind the classic “Blood And Roses.” “Heart Of Darkness” is one of those spooky non-album tracks the Hoodoo Gurus were fond of slapping on back of single releases, and it makes for an interesting rarity.

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About This Blog

Broken Hearted Toy is an eclectic celebration of creativity, with over 2,000 posts since 2009.

It's based in Chicago but covers power pop, garage, cutting-edge, and 1960s rock from around the globe; along with occasional bits on art; literature; and theatre.

Top of the hill is a nice place to be at. - - - "Elevated Observations" by The Hollies.

Check out some of my previoius creative endeavors.

Sunday Morning Coffee With Jeff was a weekly Internet show created by and starring Jeff Kelley. It mostly consisted of comedy bits and obscure 1960s garage rock set to vintage TV and film clips but also spotlighted entertainment events around Illinois.

My wife Pam and I created a handful of series (each episode was about two minutes long) that were shown on Sunday Morning Coffee With Jeff. They included Manchester Gallery (see description below); Old Days, which I hosted in the persona of a cranky old man named Fritz Willoughby; Roving Reporter, where I played the clueless title character; What's With Terry?, a performance arts program; and Hanging With The Hollies, a takeoff on Breakfast With The Beatles.

I've also worked with Kelley and Willy Deal on comedy clips, and with Kelley and David Metzger on films for the annual Nightmare on Chicago Street Halloween festival in Elgin.

I'm particularly proud of this 21-episode comedy series Pam and I created for Sunday Morning Coffee With Jeff. Each installment was a few minutes long, and featured me portraying Terrence, the curator of a pop culture museum.

I was a staff writer for this Chicago-based magazine from 1987 to 2015. The Illinois Entertainer has been covering rock music for over 40 years, and can be found in stores and entertainment venues, as well as in an online edition.

Chicago Art Machine was a web-based publishing company run by Editor-in-Chief, Kathryn Born, and Managing Editor, Robin Dluzen, that included Chicago Art Magazine, Chicago DIY Film,Chicago Performance And Trailers, and TINC. Most of my submissions appeared in Chicago DIY Film and Chicago Performance And Trailers, although I contributed to all the online Chicago Art Machine publications.

I was a writer and performer with this local comedy group from 1989 to 2009. Famous In The Future continues to perform in the Chicago area, and appeared at every one of the Abbie Hoffman Died For Our Sinstheatre festivals that were held at the Mary-Arrchie Theatre. Since the closing of the Mary-Arrchie Theatre a few years ago, Famous In The Future has carried on the tradition by presenting Yippie Fest each year in August.

I'm an active member of SCBWI, (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) and have written two Middle Grade fantasy novels. I've just finished a YA/paranormal novel, and also wrote a suspense/satiric novel that takes place amidst Chicago's alternative music scene in the mid-1980s.

Broken Hearted Toy

The blog title comes from the line, "I'm the brokenhearted toy you play with" in the song "I Can't Let Go" by The Hollies. One of the great original British Invasion bands, The Hollies continue to have an immense influence on power pop bands to this day, and have finally been inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Here is a video of "I Can't Let Go" being performed in 1966.